The Pitch: Denmark's epic black/blackened death metal band, Orm, releases their debut LP via Indisciplinarian. Extra props for more stunning artwork from Italian artist Paolo Girardi (Bell Witch, Inquisition, and Black Breath)
What I Like: While this group has atmospheric overtones, they rarely skimp on the aggression. "Blood Of Your Blood" wastes no time kicking up the volume with some frightful distortion and snarls like a sudden kick to the teeth. Orm also brings more than a little Viking-sounding overtones to their melodies and drum marches. "A Tree Ablaze_Yggdrasil Brænder" in particular sounds like a soundtrack for an epic voyage on longships. I'm thankful that the band focused on only 5 tracks, as I really think it allowed the band to create some pretty rewarding compositions. The acoustic and subtle (haunting) choral synths are a nice touch as things slow down on the last two tracks.
What I Don't Like: Even though I am pleased with the overall outcome and focus, I still find these tracks to be a bit overlong. They're not tediously lengthy, but just enough so that they overstay their welcome. I think that shaving even a minute or two off of some of these would make them more concentrated and impactful.
The Verdict: I very warlike, vast-sounding album with powerful vocals and plenty of worthy elements. There is room to tighten up the writing a bit more, but a very strong debut effort from a region with plenty of competition. STREAM IT EARLY HERE.
Flight's Fav's: Blood Of Your Blood, Temple Of The Deaf, Apotheosis
